


Always Welcome

by magnusbicon



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alec Lightwood & Maia Roberts Friendship, Communication, F/M, Introspection, M/M, Sparring, alec wants everyone to be as happy as him, everyone hates jordan
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-06
Updated: 2018-05-06
Packaged: 2019-05-03 07:10:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,027
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14563716
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/magnusbicon/pseuds/magnusbicon
Summary: The four of them chatted for a while, sticking to inconsequential topics rather than hashing out all of the stress that had built up on their shoulders in the past few days, but Alec couldn’t help noticing the way Maia kept glaring past them toward the tables when she thought no one was paying attention.





	Always Welcome

**Author's Note:**

> I am such trash for the idea of Alec being friends with Simon and Maia. I need it. 
> 
> Also I hate Jordan so I'll take any chance I can get to roast him. :•)

“Tough day?” Alec asked, sliding into the stool Magnus had saved for him as he looked across the bar at Maia, who rolled her eyes. Simon sat on his left, and Alec offered him a brief smile before he turned to press a kiss to Magnus’ temple and lace their fingers together. He leaned sideways until their shoulders were pressed together and let out a content breath. They hadn’t planned on meeting up with Simon and Maia, but they were certainly welcome company. 

“More like a tough week.” Maia muttered and shook her head, sliding his drink across the bar to him. Alec caught a flash of guilt cross Simon’s features out of the corner of his eye, but by the time he turned to ask why, his features were carefully blank. He raised his glass, nodding his agreement, and took a sip. It had been a particularly hellish week, and he was glad it was coming to an end- not that the next week would probably be any better. 

The four of them chatted for a while, sticking to inconsequential topics rather than hashing out all of the stress that had built up on their shoulders in the past few days, but Alec couldn’t help noticing the way Maia kept glaring past them toward the tables when she thought no one was paying attention. As she stepped away to serve another customer he turned, making eye contact with a guy sitting slouched at a table not too far behind them. 

“Who is that?” he asked Simon lowly, nudging him with his elbow and tilting his head subtly toward the man. 

Simon didn’t even have to look before he replied, “Jordan Kyle.” His voice was low, regretful, and now Alec knew exactly why. 

He sat up straight, his fingers clenching tighter around his glass, and he felt Magnus stiffen at his side as well. They both knew the story. It had taken Maia a while to open up to both of them, but the four of them had grown close. Simon and Maia were the type of people who were just easy to be around, unlike many others that Magnus and Alec knew, and they frequently took advantage of that fact. 

“Why is he here?” Alec turned to look at the guy again, shooting him a glare. Jordan didn’t appear surprised in the least, which only increased Alec’s urge to punch him in the face.

“Stand down, Lightwood,” Maia said, sounding bored as she appeared in front of them again, though she had a small, wry smile on her face. She leaned against the counter, meeting his eyes. “He works for the Praetor Lupus. He was assigned to help Simon out. He wanted to leave when he realized Simon and I are dating, but I refused to let him abandon him like he did me. Trust me, I’ve been giving him the hell he deserves.” 

Alec narrowed his eyes, studying her expression for a moment before deciding she was being completely sincere, and he knocked back his drink. “Your shift is over soon, right?”

“Yeah,” Maia replied, sounding suspicious. “Why?”

“I know exactly how you can let off steam.”

☼☼☼

An hour later all four of them were in the Institute training room, their laughter echoing between the walls as they sparred together. Magnus was throwing weak balls of magic toward Simon, helping him practice his dodging, while Alec and Maia took turns knocking each other on their asses. 

The training room had been Alec’s safe haven for years, the place he went when he needed to get out of his own head as well as drown out everyone else’s opinion of him. It was where he went when he wanted to be alone, when he wanted to lose himself in the sting of his knuckles and the exhaustion of a workout, but so many things were different now.

Now, he had memories of Magnus smirking across from him as they prepared to spar, of helping Isabelle and Jace train Clary, and even of his mother coming in and watching him teach Institute recruits. With every new person that he brought into this room, the darkness of his past seemed a little bit brighter, just a smidge less heavy. 

"You alright, Lightwood?” Maia asked as she jumped up from the floor, wiping invisible dust off of herself. She seemed to be in much better spirits than she had been earlier in the night, especially since Alec had refused to let Jordan in the Institute. 

“Yeah,” Alec replied, a small grin lifting his lips. “It’s just...you know you’re always welcome here, right? You and Simon. I know it’s probably the last place you want to be most of the time, but I’ve found it’s a lot easier to beat the crap out of your problems than it is to ignore them.”

Maia’s eyebrows rose for a moment as she stared at him, and then a tiny smirk spread across her face. “Is that an invitation?”

Before Alec could think about it his legs were swept out from under him and he landed on his back with a huff, all of the air flying out of his lungs. He glared up at her, letting out a hoarse groan, but he could tell that she had heard him and taken his words into account, and a surge of happiness spread through him. 

All his life he had sacrificed his own wants and needs in order to help others, but he was starting to figure out that those things didn’t have to be mutually exclusive. He had fought for what he wanted and won, and now he would continue helping others fight as well.

“Is that really all you got, Roberts?” Alec taunted as he got to his feet, already crouching into a defensive position. Maia grinned, tilting her head, and charged forward.

Their laughter continued long into the night, earning a few complaints from the residents of the Institute, but Alec waved them all off. He deserved to take a break, to have one second where it didn’t feel like the world was tilting on its axis. 

They all did. 


End file.
